JPS6141797B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an engine throttle control device that operates a throttle of the engine by swinging a control lever rotatably provided to a housing.

In this type of aperture control device, an aperture drive member is provided to rotate together with the control lever, a drive pin or a roller having a similar function is attached to this aperture drive member, and a cam track is attached to the aperture drive member. A cam member having a diaphragm drive member is provided, and the drive pin of the aperture drive member enters the cam track, so that the cam member moves linearly in response to rotation of the drive member. This movement of the cam member is transmitted to the engine throttle. An example of an aperture control device configured as described above is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 19052/1983.

In the conventional aperture control device as described above, as described in the above publication, means for guiding the cam member in linear motion is attached to the housing. For example, in the example disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, two rollers are mounted on the inner wall of the housing at a distance from each other, and the rollers are received in slots formed in the cam member to guide the linear movement of the cam member.

Forming the guide means in the housing in this way increases the number of manufacturing steps, and an object of the present invention is to provide a diaphragm control device with a simpler configuration that does not require such guide means.

To achieve the above object, the diaphragm control device according to the present invention includes a housing, a shaft member rotatably supported within the housing, and a shaft member configured to rotate integrally with respect to the shaft member so as to rotate relative to a neutral position. an associated control lever; a throttle lever pivotally mounted to the housing at a throttle lever pivot point and adapted to operate a throttle of the engine in response to rocking of the throttle lever; and a drive pin. an aperture drive member coupled for integral rotation with a shaft member that rotates in response to movement of the lever from a neutral position; and an aperture drive member connected between the aperture lever and the aperture drive member and receiving a drive pin. a cam member including a cam track, the cam track having a shape such that the cam member itself is displaced relative to the aperture drive member and the shaft member to move the aperture lever in response to rotation of the aperture drive member; In addition, the cam member is relative to the aperture lever.
The cam member is pivoted at a position apart from the aforementioned pivot point, and has an elongated slot, and the cam member moves along the axis of rotation of the shaft member in response to movement of the drive pin within the cam track. Guide means is provided on the shaft member and received in the slot for guiding linear or angular movement relative to the shaft member.

The reason why the cam member is guided so that it can make not only linear movement but also angular movement relative to the rotational axis of the shaft member is because the cam member is pivotally connected to the swinging aperture lever. This is because the aperture lever is prevented from swinging if the cam member simply moves linearly.

As described above, in the present invention, the shaft member to which the aperture drive member is mounted and which swings the aperture drive member also has the function of supporting the cam member, so there is no need to provide an independent guide means for the cam member in the housing. It becomes possible to simplify the configuration of the entire control device.

Other features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

Before describing at least one embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below. need to understand. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being carried out in various ways. It is also to be understood that the terms used are for purposes of description and not for limitation.

The accompanying drawings show a single lever control for actuating the clutch and throttle of a remotely located marine propulsion system, such as an outboard motor or stern drive unit. A single lever control device 10 (FIG. 1) that utilizes various features of the present invention includes a housing 12 consisting of opposing cover halves 14, 16, which cover portions have side walls 18, 2, respectively.
0 and are properly tightened together to form a substantially closed cover.

Single lever control 10 includes a master control lever 22 extending outwardly from housing 12 for pivoting or rotational movement and lateral or axial movement relative to housing 12.
As part of this purpose, a bearing 2 is provided in the cover part 16.
A shaft member 24 is provided having an outer end 25 journalled by 6. (Figure 4).

A shaft member 24 is connected to the lower end of the master control lever 22 for rotational and lateral or axial movement therewith. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the outer end 2 of the shaft member 24
The outer surface of the main control lever 22 is provided with a spline housed in a spline recess provided in the inner surface of the lower end of the main control lever 22.
It is fastened to the shaft member 24 by a bolt 28 screwed into the outer end 25 of the shaft member 24.

The clutch is controlled by a shift arm or lever 30 pivotally mounted on a stud or boss 32 extending from cover portion 14 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5); The lower end of this lever is operatively connected to a remote engine clutch (not shown) and connected to a pull/push link or cable 34. The shift lever 30 includes a sector gear 36 that is connected to the shift drive member 4.
meshing with the cooperating sector gear 38 attached to the
This shift drive member is attached to the shaft member 24 so as to rotate between a neutral position and a shift position. As will be explained in more detail below, rotational movement of the master control lever causes the shift lever 30 to swing about its pivot point, thereby actuating the remote clutch.

A pair of aperture arms or levers 42 (second
3, 4 and 5), the lower end of which lever is connected to a pull-push link or cable 44 operatively connected to the engine throttle at a remote location. It is designed so that it will be done. The upper end of the aperture lever 42 is mounted for pivoting about an axis fixed relative to the housing 12 such as a stud or boss 46 extending from the cover portion 16 coaxially with the boss 32 of the cover portion 14. There is.

A throttle lever 42 is operatively connected to the master control lever 22 to control movement of the throttle lever 22 in response to pivoting or rotational movement of the master control lever 22 relative to the neutral position shown in FIG. There are means to do so. More particularly, such means include an aperture drive member 48 having a drive roller or pin 50 and a hub portion bearing on the cover portion 16 via a bushing 54 to rotate the aperture drive member 48 coaxially with the shaft member 24. 52.

A diaphragm drive member 48 is connected to the shaft member 24 for rotation therewith and for axial movement of the shaft member 24, and thus the master control lever 22, relative to the diaphragm drive member 48. In the particular construction illustrated (FIG. 4), the aperture drive member 48 has a central aperture 56 extending along complementary axes and extending circumferentially in the inner end 60 of the shaft member 24. It includes a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced splines slidably received and engaged with the spaced splines. During movement of the shaft member 24 to the right as viewed in FIG. Figures 4 and 7).

A cam element or member 66 is attached to the bearing surface or shank portion 64 of the bushing 54 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 8).
(FIG.), this cam member includes an aperture cam or track 68 that receives the drive pin 50 of the aperture drive member 48. As shown in detail in FIG. 8, where drive pin 50 is omitted for clarity, cam track 68 has a central portion 70 formed at a uniform radius from the axis of rotation of shaft member 24. The shaft member 24 includes oppositely extending end portions 72, 74 projecting away from the center portion 70, the end portions extending an increasing distance from the axis of rotation or center of the shaft member 24 as they move away from the central portion 70.

A cam member 66 is connected between the aperture drive member 48 and the aperture lever 42 so that the main control lever 22
Apparatus is provided for converting rotational movement of the aperture drive member into a translational movement of the cam member 66 relative to the axis of rotation of the shaft member 24, thereby moving the aperture lever 42 in response to displacement of the aperture lever 42 from its neutral position. Although various arrangements may be used, in the particular construction shown, such means (FIGS. 2, 3, and 8) direct the axis of rotation of shaft member 24 when aperture drive member 48 is in a neutral position. It consists of an ear-like protrusion 76 provided on the cam member 66 so that the center thereof is oriented directly opposite to the drive pin 50. Ears 76 extend between the throttle levers 42 and are pivotally connected thereto by pins 78 intermediate their lower ends and the pivot support. Cam member 66
When the aperture drive member 48 is in the neutral position, the innermost circular portion 82 concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft member 24 and the shank portion 64 of the bushing 54 engage and cooperate with each other to move the drive pin 50 along the cam track. 6
an oblong slot 8 having opposing walls 84 that guide translational movement of the cam member 66 during movement therein;
Contains 0.

Shift drive member 40 is connected to shaft member 24 to provide relative rotational movement between shaft member 24 and shift drive member 40, and shift drive member 40 is connected to shaft member 24 and thus to main control lever 2.
Means for axial movement together with 2 are provided. In the particular structure shown (Figs. 4 and 6)
In the figure), the shift drive member 40 is rotatably mounted on the shaft member 24. Both sides of the shift drive member 40 are supported on the shaft member 24 for engagement when the shift drive member 40 is moved axially relative to the housing 12 in response to axial movement of the master control lever 22. Respective retaining links 86, 88 are provided.

The diaphragm drive member 48 and the shift drive member 40 have a second shaft member 48 which allows rotational movement of the shaft member 24 together when the shaft member 24 is in the first position and which is laterally spaced apart from the first position. Means are provided for allowing the aperture drive member 48 to rotate relative to the shift drive member 40 when in position. In the particular construction illustrated (FIG. 6), such means are provided in the aperture drive member 48 and include a pair of diametrically opposed members extending laterally from the aperture drive member 48 in a direction opposite the drive pin 50. A pair of diametrically opposed drive holes or recesses 90 are provided in shift drive member 40 for receiving and drivingly engaging drive pins or ears 92 thereon.
During normal operation, the drive ears 92 are connected to the drive recesses 90.
The shift drive member 40 and the aperture drive member 48 also rotate together in response to rotational movement of the master control lever 22 from its neutral position. Cooperating sector gears 36, 38 on the shift lever 30 and the shift drive member 40 are connected to the main control lever 2.
2 is moved in either direction from the neutral position, the shift lever 30 is rotated to actuate the engine clutch. Movement of the main control lever 22 from the neutral position causes the clutch to actuate quickly.

The cam track 68 allows the cam member 6 to move during movement of the shift lever 30 to actuate the engine clutch.
6. The drive pin 50 is therefore shaped to move through the central portion 70 without displacing the aperture lever 42. After the clutch has finished operating (3rd
(FIG.), the drive pin 50 enters one of the extending end portions 72, 74 of the cam track 68, depending on the direction of rotation of the master control lever 22. The shape of the end portions 72, 74 of the cam track 68 influences the setting of the shift lever 30 on the drive pin 50 in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the shaft member 24 and generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the slot 80. This causes the cam member 66 to move so as to advance the diaphragm from the idle position without causing the diaphragm to move. The wall 84 of the slot 80 of the cam member is connected to the shank portion 6 of the bushing 54.
4 to guide this translational movement of the cam member 66. FIG. 3 shows the positions of the various components when the main control lever 22 is in the opposite speed range.

In this arrangement, the central portion 70 of the cam track 68 creates a drift or throttle dwell time to ensure that the throttle does not advance during clutch actuation. The end portions 72, 74 of the cam track 68 suitably pick up the throttle to ensure smooth advancement of the throttle after the clutch is actuated, thereby providing smooth running of the boat. By simply replacing cam member 66 with a cam member having a suitably shaped cam track 68, various strokes of the clutch gear can be achieved with reduced pick-up rates.

If it is desired to operate the throttle independently of the clutch for warm-up of the engine, the main control lever 22 can be moved laterally relative to the housing 12 by gripping a handle 94 provided at the bottom of the lever. That is, it is moved in the axial direction, that is, it is moved to the right as viewed in FIG. This lateral or axial movement of the master control lever 22 causes the shift drive member 40 to move axially relative to the throttle drive member 48 and the drive recess 90.
are retracted from drive ears 92. At the same time, shift drive member 40 moves axially relative to shift lever 30 so that throttle cable 44 or clutch cable 34 is not displaced laterally. Thereafter, while the main control lever 22 is rotating from the neutral position, the diaphragm is moved forward in response to the movement of the diaphragm drive member 48 and the shaft member 24 rotates relative to the shift drive member 40, i.e., the shift drive member 40 is in the neutral position. The engine clutch cannot be activated.

Shift drive member 4 in response to axial movement of the master control lever when master control lever 22 is in a neutral position.
lockout means for preventing shift drive member 40 from moving axially from the engaged position when the main control lever 22 is moved axially from the engaged position to the disengaged position and the main control lever 22 is displaced from the neutral position; is provided. In the particular embodiment illustrated, such lockout means (FIGS. 2, 3, and 7) include a radially extending lockout ear 96 on shift drive member 40 and an interior portion of cover member 14. a lockout notch or recess 98 provided therein. The lockout recess 98 accommodates the lockout ear 96 so that the drive recess 90 on the shift drive member 40 is fully retracted from the drive ear 92 on the aperture drive member 48 when the main control lever 22 is in the neutral position. The location and dimensions are such that it can be used. The positioning of lockout ears 96 in lockout recesses 98 prevents rotational movement of shift drive member 40.

If the master control lever 22 were to be moved axially outwardly when the master control lever 22 was displaced from the neutral position, the lockout ears would protrude from the interior of the cover portion 14 and away from the lockout recess 98 in the opposite direction. (FIG. 7). These protrusions 100 are sized to prevent the necessary axial movement of shaft member 24 to retract drive recess 90 from drive ear 92.

The lockout means is such that the shaft member 24 is
, and means for preventing rotational movement of the shift drive member 40 from the neutral position or movement of the shift drive member 40 in the axial direction from the disengaged position when the main control lever 22 is displaced from the neutral position. It is preferable to include. In the particular construction shown (FIG. 9), such means comprise a cam surface 102 extending in the shift drive member 40 adjacent the drive recess 90. When shift drive member 40 is in the disengaged position and master control lever 22 is pivoted in either direction of rotation from the neutral position, the outer end of drive lug 92 engages cam surface 102. Camming surface 102 thus cooperates with drive ear 92 to act to retain lockout ear 96 in lockout recess 98 when the master control lever is displaced from the neutral position, thereby locking shift drive member 40. is locked in the neutral position shown in Figure 2. Further, the cam surface 102 is connected to the shift drive member 4 until the main control lever 22 reaches the neutral position.
from returning to the engaged position.

Providing means for automatically returning the shift drive member 40 from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the master control lever 22 is returned to the neutral position after being moved axially to independently actuate the engine throttle. is preferred. In the particular construction shown, such means (FIG. 4) include an annular pocket 10 surrounding the shaft member 24 and having one end formed in the bearing 26.
6 and includes a helical spring 104 disposed between cover portion 14 and shift drive member 40 with its other end pressed against retaining ring 88 . The main control lever 22 has a drive recess 90 and a drive ear 9
When returned to the neutral position aligned with 2, the spring 104 moves the shift drive member 40 to the engaged position.

Various features of the invention are set out in the following claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a perspective view of a single lever control device particularly suitable for use in a ship's propulsion system and embodying various features of the invention; FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the position of various parts when the main control lever is in a neutral position and in a position for aligning and actuating the engine throttle and clutch; FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. However, an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the positions of various parts when the main control lever is in the opposite speed range, Figure 4 is approximately 4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 5--5 in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 6-6 in Figure 5. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the position of the shift drive member and the throttle drive member when the main control lever is in the connected position for operating the throttle and clutch of the engine in alignment. FIG. 8 is a partial side view of the housing portion shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with parts omitted; FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 8--8 in FIG. 4; is approximately 9-9 in Figure 6.
This is a reduced partial view taken along the line. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Control device, 12... Housing, 22... Control lever, 42... Aperture lever, 48... Aperture drive member, 66... Cam member, 68... Cam orbit, 54,8
0...Guidance means.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A housing, a shaft member rotatably supported within the housing, and a control lever integrally coupled to the shaft member for relative rotation to a neutral position; a throttle lever pivotally mounted to the housing at a throttle lever pivot point and adapted to actuate the engine throttle in response to rocking of the throttle lever, and a drive pin for movement of the control lever from a neutral position; an aperture drive member integrally rotatably coupled to the shaft member for rotation in response to the aperture drive member;
a cam member connected between the aperture lever and the aperture drive member and including a cam track housing a drive pin;
the cam track has a shape such that the cam member itself is displaced relative to the aperture drive member and the shaft member to move the aperture lever in response to rotation of the aperture drive member; The cam member is pivotally mounted to the aperture lever at a location remote from the pivot point, and the cam member has an elongated slot, and the cam member is responsive to movement of the drive pin within the cam track. A throttle control device for an engine, comprising guide means provided on the shaft member and housed in the slot for guiding the linear or angular movement of the member relative to the axis of rotation of the shaft member. . 2. The throttle control device according to claim 1, wherein the guide means includes a bushing supported by the housing and having a bearing surface that is partially concentric with the axis of rotation of the shaft member, and the slot engages with the bearing surface. . 3. The diaphragm control device according to claim 2, wherein the bushing includes a center hole that rotatably accommodates one end of the shaft member. 4. Claims in which the cam track includes a central portion extending at a uniform radius from the axis of rotation of the aperture drive member and end portions extending from the central portion at increasing distances from the axis of rotation of the aperture drive member The aperture control device according to item 1. 5 a shift lever movably mounted in the housing for movement between a neutral position and a shift position, the control device also being adapted to actuate an engine clutch in a remote position; means for connecting the shift lever to the shaft member to move the shift lever from the neutral position to the shift position in response to the rotational movement, the aperture drive member being connected to the shaft member for rotation therewith; The cam member is connected to move linearly between an idle position and an advanced throttle position relative to the axis of rotation of the shaft member in response to rotation of the aperture drive member, such that the cam trajectory is uniformly moved from the axis of rotation of the shaft member. and an end portion extending from the central portion at increasing distances from the axis of rotation of the shaft member, such that the drive pin extends from the center of the cam trajectory in response to rotation of the aperture drive member. The cam member remains in the idle position during movement within the section, and the cam member remains idle as the drive pin enters one of the end sections of the cam track and moves therein in response to rotation of the throttle drive member. The diaphragm control device according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm control device is adapted to move from the diaphragm forward position to the diaphragm forward position. 6 a shaft member is further supported within the housing for axial movement between first and second positions relative to the housing and the throttle drive member in response to axial movement of the control lever; means for connecting the shift lever to the shaft member to move the shift lever to the neutral position in response to movement of the shift drive member and control lever from the neutral position, the shift drive member being mounted on the shaft member for rotation therewith axially and relative thereto; means for connecting the shift lever and the shift drive member for movement from the control lever to the shift position and for axial movement of the shift drive member relative to the shift lever in response to axial movement of the control lever; The controller also releasably connects the shift drive member and the aperture drive member such that when the shaft member is in the first position, the shift drive member and the aperture drive member rotate together; 6. An aperture according to claim 5, including drive means for causing movement of the shift member and the shift drive member relative to each other in response to rotational movement of the control lever when in the second position. Control device. 7. The drive means drivingly engages the at least one drive recess provided in the shift drive member and the drive recess when the shaft member is in the first position and the shaft member is in the second position.
7. A diaphragm control device according to claim 6, further comprising a drive lug on the diaphragm drive member so as to separate from the drive recess when the diaphragm drive member is in the position . 8 and further allows the shift drive member to move axially from the engaged position to the disengaged position when the control lever is in the neutral position, and to allow the shift drive member to move axially from the engaged position when the control lever is displaced from the neutral position. 7. A diaphragm control device as claimed in claim 6, including lockout means for preventing axial movement. 9. The lockout means rotates the shift drive member from the neutral position with the shaft member in the second position and the control lever is displaced from the neutral position and its axial movement from the disengaged position to the engaged position. 9. The diaphragm control device according to claim 8, which includes means for preventing. 10. The diaphragm control system of claim 6, further including means for biasing the shaft member towards the first position. 11 Lockout means locks the shift drive member in the neutral position by protruding and engaging the recess in the housing when the shaft member is moved to the second position with the control lever in the neutral position. A lockout ear is provided on the shift drive member in a locking position and further extends over the housing in both directions from a recess in the housing so that the shaft is in a second position when the control lever is displaced from the neutral position. 9. The diaphragm control device of claim 8, including an arcuate protrusion positioned to engage the lockout ear when moved towards the aperture. 12 A lockout means also extends from the drive recess onto the shift drive member and engages the outer edge of the drive ear when the control lever is displaced from the neutral position after the shaft member has been moved to the second position. 12. The aperture control device of claim 11 including a cam surface adapted to retain the lockout ears in recesses in the housing. 13. The diaphragm control device of claim 10, wherein the housing has a wall and the biasing means comprises a helical spring surrounding the shaft member and disposed between the shift drive member and the wall of the housing.